1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a detergent supplying apparatus of a washing machine having a drawer for receiving and supplying detergent which can be drawn to the outside, more particularly, which is capable of minimizing the drawn width of its drawer and injecting breach or softener easily therein.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, a washing machine refers to a device for cleaning a laundry through washing, rinsing, dewatering, and drying to decontaminate clothes and bedclothes (Hereinafter, referred to as “laundry”).
The washing machine is classified as a home washing machine and a commercial washing machine depending on a purpose of use. The home washing machine is installed at each home, and is used for washing the laundry generated by a member of family. The commercial washing machine is separately installed at a shop or dormitory, and is used for leasing its use to a user desiring to wash the laundry in return for a predetermined use fee.
The commercial washing machine is separately provided with a fee processing unit other than a construction of the general home washing machine, and separately requires a control algorithm of the fee processing unit.
The washing machine is provided with a detergent supplying apparatus for housing detergent, bleach, and softener and then, selectively supplying the detergent, the bleach, and the softener at a necessary time.
The detergent supplying apparatus includes a drawer for housing and supplying the detergent, the bleach, and the softener.
The drawer is disposed at a water supplying flow of the washing machine to mix and supply water passing through the water supplying flow of the washing machine, and is constructed such that it is drawn or disengaged outside to input the detergent, the bleach, and the softener.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a drawer used in a conventional washing machine. A detergent supplying part 402 to house and supply detergent is long provided in the front and rear direction at a right side of the drawer 400. A bleach supplying part 404 to house and supply bleach is long provided in the front and rear direction at a center of the drawer 400. A softener supplying part 406 to house softener is long provided in the front and rear direction at a left side of the drawer 400.
In the bleach supplying part 404, a bleach siphon tube 408 is protruded, and the bleach siphon tube 408 is covered with a bleach siphon cap 408′.
In the softener supplying part 406, a softener siphon tube 409 is protruded, and the softener siphon tube 409 is covered with a softener siphon cap 409′.
However, in the detergent supplying apparatus of the washing machine according to the prior art, the detergent supplying part 402, bleach supplying part 404, and softener supplying part 406 are arranged in the left and right direction and formed long in the front and rear direction, which causes the overall size of the drawer 400 to be greater, increases manufacturing cost, and makes it difficult to secure a space to install the drawer 400 in the commercial washing machine.
By contrast, If the drawer 400 is formed small, the size of the detergent supplying part 402, bleach supplying part 404, and softener supplying part 404 becomes too small accordingly; there exist problems to cause insufficient accommodation amount of detergent, and fail to sufficiently secure the size of an input port for each of the detergent supplying part 402, bleach supplying part 404, and softener supplying part 404.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating another example of a drawer used in the conventional washing machine. A detergent supplying part 412 to house detergent is long provided in the front and rear direction at a right side of the drawer 410. A bleach/softener supplying part 414 to separately house bleach and softener is long provided in the front and rear direction at a left side of the drawer 410.
The bleach/softener supplying part 414 is provided with a box shaped bleach supplying part 416 at an inner and front part, and is provided with a box shaped softener supplying part 418 at an inner and rear part.
In the bleach supplying part 416, a bleach siphon tube 428 is protruded, and the bleach siphon tube 428 is covered with a bleach siphon cap 428′.
In the softener supplying part 418, a softener siphon tube 429 is protruded, and the softener siphon tube 429 is covered with a softener siphon cap 429′.
However, in the detergent supplying apparatus of the washing machine according to the prior art, the bleach supplying part 416 and softener supplying part 418 are arranged in the bleach/softener supplying part 414 to be spaced by each other in the front and rear direction, and thus, when softener is injected, the drawer 410 should be drawn until the bleach supplying part 416 and softener supplying part 418 are all open, causing the drawal distance of the drawer 410 to be greatly increased, which also makes the front and rear length of the drawer 410 greatly lengthened.